Page 71 of The Plan

She shakes her head, and her hand trembles over her mouth. She goes still and stares into something behind me. An eerie feeling settles over me, and I have to turn around to make sure there's nothing there. “He was going to rape me.”

I close my eyes briefly, wishing I could take that entire night away. That night and the one we had four years ago. I wish I could just take away all her damn pain, but I can't, and knowing she’s hurting makes me feel like every last one of my bones is disintegrating.

“But he didn’t, Vid. Remember that part, okay?” I try to reassure her, but I feel like nothing I can say in this moment would be enough. She looks over at me and shakes her head softly.

“What are we gonna do?” She sounds so… lost. Just how I feel. I don’t respond to her because I don’t know the answer. Instead, I pull her in for a hug and rest my head on hers.

“Everything will work out in the end.”At least, I hope it does.

Chapter Sixteen

Vidia

Four Years Earlier

Iturn at the softknock on my door. Hazel usually just walks in while announcing she’s entering, but after I tell her to come in, my eyes land on Sire.

“Oh.” I’m a bit surprised to see him here this late. I don’t mind, of course, but he usually texts me that he’s on his way, and he didn’t. “Hey.” He sends a smile in response and takes a seat on my bed.

I turn back to my mirror and add a few finishing touches to my makeup. Graduation is nearing, and I’m practicing a new makeup look that I want to do, but I don’t think I like how it’s coming out.

I turn to Sire, and his eyes are already on me. “What do you think about my makeup?”

He doesn’t miss a beat as he responds with a smile. “You look beautiful.” I let out a soft sigh in defeat and thank him. I appreciate that, but it’s not what I asked. I call Hazel in, and she walks into my room with a makeup brush in hand; she’s also practicing.

“Is this color combo better?” She studies my eye shadow for a beat, and I turn my head to the side, giving her a better look.

She goes to respond, but Sire beats her to it. “Why don’t you guys let my sister do your makeup?” He doesn’t have to tell us which sister he’s referring to. I don’t know if Lisette does makeup since she isn’t wearing much anytime I see her. Sage, though? Just from her social media, I know she’s a makeup God.

“You don’t think our makeup looks good?” Hazel puts a hand on her hip and points the end of her makeup brush at Sire as if it were a deadly weapon. I look between the two of them, and I know she’s joking, but I can tell Sire doesn’t.

“Vid looks amazing.” He nods toward me. “You look like a ghost,” he says accusingly, and I stifle a laugh. Hazel glares at him with setting powder still on her face, so she really does look like a ghost, but she isn’t done with her makeup yet, not that Sire can tell the difference.

“I’m great at doing makeup, asshole.” Sire rolls his eyes at her like he doesn’t believe a word coming out of her mouth.

“Yeah, well, you clearly aren’t a professional, and Sage is.” He leans back in my bed like he doesn’t care to help her anymore, and I laugh softly at their interaction as Hazel turns back to me.

“Creo que el rosado se ve mejor pero me gusta el azul.”

I turn to the mirror and study my eyeshadow. My eyes cut to Sire in the mirror as he sits up and looks between the two of us like he’s trying to figure something out.

“Stop talking shit in Spanish.” He squints his eyes at Hazel, and she smirks, clearly knowing that’s what he’d assume.

“She wasn’t—”

“No need to lie to him, V.” I throw my head back with a laugh at how she sounds like she just achieved something. Without another word, she walks out, but I don’t miss her smirk when Sire slouches a bit.

I get up to make my way over to him. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he hugs my waist. “I wasn’t lying. She really wasn’t saying anything about you.” I kiss the top of his head before he tilts his head up to look at me.

“Yeah, I figured.” He looks at the door like he’s making sure she isn’t in earshot. “I don’t think she likes me.” I chuckle in response and plant another kiss on his head.

“She doesn’t like anyone, but she’s only teasing you.” He looks like he’s trying to figure out if I'm lying or not. “Why do you care if she likes you?” Sire doesn’t seem like the type to care if people like him; that sounds more like August.

“She’s dating my brother, so I would like to get along with who he’s dating, but more importantly, she may as well be your sister. Of course, I don’t want the people you care about to hate me.” I try to fight back a smile but immediately fail.He’s so perfect.

“She doesn’t hate you, mi amor.” A smile creeps onto his face, and he pulls me in, leaning his head on my chest. I wrap my hands around his head and just hold him for a few beats, but he seems… off.

“You okay?” I whisper into his hair, and when he takes in a deep breath, I can tell he isn’t. He doesn’t respond and instead pulls me onto the bed with him so I’m straddling him.

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